Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-10-28
uRS. LORING'S KITCHEN RO-
NANCE.

Mrs. Loring wanted cook, and was
| talklng with young Swedish woman with
| IA view to engaging her The necessary
| questions and answers had been exchanged
and everything seemed satisfactory but
the girl still stood as if hesitating. finger
ing the edge of her shawl She was round
faced and rosy-cheeked, with a somewhat
dull look, which, however, changed to a
brighter one in pleasant, unexpected way
when she s.niled As she stood with her
head bent Little dawn, and her pyps turn
ed little up, sha would not have been a
bad model for painter Of rustic studies
''Dus you gels hev dey frants come in de
evenings p she said. Il didunty want
mush cumpny like 50 lots er gels, but have
vwon fran whut come often. ~ And her
red cheeks grew redder
Mrs. IOring "grasped the situation. "
oh yes, Iilda sac said, that will be all
right you are welcome to see any of YOUR
friends, if the kitchen is not noisy and you
keep early hours. You must tell them that
Mrs. Loring is very cross if the kitchen is
not locked by ten o'clock This last with
a smile that at once gave the lie to her
words, and insured obedience to them.
So Tilda came, and three times Il week
her lover come to see her. Regularly at
halt-p seven on his accustomed evenings
his step would sound on the walk that led
TO the area and as regularly it would be
heard, few minutes before ten, departing
Her only other guests were her sisters. who
came but seldom, and then by an amusing
chance, always upon the alternate even
ings but no loud noises or boisteruus laugh
ing ever disturbed the house indeed. be-
yond a subdued murmur of voices. which
might be heard in the pantry adjoining the
kitchen, there was no noise at al.
One evening, when Tilda had been do
mesticatad about month, Mrs. L.oring
went into this kitchen to prepare something
for one of the children, who was ailing.
Tilda's frau, Nicholas Jansen by name,
was there, and Mrs Loring, who always
felt IA kindly interest in the affairs of her
servants noticed him somewhat closely
To her quiet "Good.eveningn he responded
respectfully, but without any of the sheep
ishness' which Mrs Loring had observed
on occasions like the present in the men
who had kept company with her other
servants. He was large, well built fel-
low, with a strong, honest face. and as
Mrs. Loring went upstairs she felt a little
of the pleasure that all true women feel in
the thought that another woman, however
humble, is to be cared for by man who
will do it worthily-a pleasure not entirely
obliterated by the more selfish mental q. e
ry which would ohtrude as to whether she
would be getting married just as she be
came well wonted to the work.
Il hope it will prove long courtship,
she said half aloud, as she reached the
nursery, where other things soon drove the
subject from her thoughts
Two or three months passed Nicholas
continued his visits, but Mrs. Loring, with
the exception Of two glimpses as hurried
as the frat, did not sea him again. One
morning in the early spring, when Tilda
had been nearly four months with her,
Mrs LOring noticed that she looked sullen
and dull, and that her eyes were swollen as
If from crying; but she avoided remarking
upon it, thinking that the kinder way, and
hoping that the mood would soon give way
to happier one. But days passed, and
the change did not come. Tilda was civil.
and did her work fairly we'll but she
"glummed around without smile, and
the traces of tears were often visible Soa
week went by, when it suddenly occurred
to Mrs, Loring that she had not heard Mich
olas coming and going for some days-and
two and two instantly became four. "A
lovers quarrel ~ she Thought I'm see if
can help matters" So that evening, when
the work was finished, she went to the
kitchen Iilda was sewing, but her eyes
were red and wet. Mrs. Loring always
respected" her servants, and her intu-
tions were as true, if different, in approach
ing them ON a subject sacred TO themselves
as they would have been in a similar inter-
view with a social equal, so that in few
Iildas heart was won, and she
was pouring it out unreservedly.
He hev gone back er Swaden," she said
wiping her eyes. ale told suld go long
er wild EN-; but | kenenty yus now. Mar
seesters dey all hare, and mar yoonges sees
ter, see heventy been long away from Swa-
den. kenenty leev hare right away"
But, said Mrs Loring, 'he isn't an
CRY He will come back Z"
"Qh yaas fen EN- fader veil, he com.
Haas' with pretty conscious pride in her
eye, and little straightening), "he com
back, but mebbe it be longer time. EN-
fader pretty mush seek, and EN- moder COS
ole, kenenty tai" And she cried again.
But il had done her good to unburden her
heart, and Mrs. Loring was a kind comfort
er, and reminded her how quickly time
flew, and how nice his letters would be,
and the interview ended
Nearly year passed Twice every
month (Which was often for man 10 whom
a letter was doubtless a serious undertak-
ing) a letter came to Tilda from Sweden,
addressed to Mr. Loring's care, and Tilda
herself had long ago Fegained her cheerful
ness. In the mean time she had grown
quite intimate with the cook next door, and
went with her to church Sunday evenings,
One evening, as they chatted minute in
the area, Mrs, Loring noticed a man S voice,
1t is difficult 10 catch and transcrbe the pc
of the Swedish accent-partly that no
two Swedes Of the uncducuted class, SO far as |
have been able to notice, have just the same and
partly that, after spelling has done what Il can,
there remains an indescrihable something, sort
0f pevasiyr "tongue-tiednrss, through Il all,
that haiirs the attempt to initiate IT, Most of us,
however, have met SWrdrs often enough 10 sup
ply by our memories what is deficient.